No Doubts
by Love to be Curious
Summary: Elizabeth and Jack's point of view from Will's death to their final goodbyes. One Shot. JE friendship.


(Well, this came to me the other night. I decided that I wanted to describe the events from Jack and Elizabeth's point of view, starting from Will's death and ending in their final goodbyes. I followed the script/movie as much as possible and did my best to describe their swirling emotions. Strictly JE friendship, but much deeper than ever before. No, it isn't original, but something that I felt would be lovely to write about. No copyright infringement intended. Disney owns it all. Enjoy!)

She screeched and twisted and writhed as a man's arms lugged her backward, repeating something in her ear. Something she couldn't comprehend. Something she couldn't absorb. All she could hear was Bootstrap Bill, reiterating "Part of the Ship, Part of the Crew". With blank glazed eyes she watched him untie ropes, and she gazed into the gray swirling sky. Was it clearing? Was the sun vaguely peering behind the clouds? The woman still struggled as he tugged her into his grasp.

He squinted through the blinding rain, one hand sliding to the braided rope, the other to his pistol. The pistol that had saved Elizabeth from Captain Barbossa's shot only a few years ago and the pistol that was about to rescue them. "Hold on!" he hollered while her arms were already gliding past his baldric and around his waist. The bullet propelled from the pistol and the tattered parachute gasped in air as the wind swung them into the goddess's atmosphere.

Tears dribbled down her cheeks, and she still wiggled slightly. Elizabeth's eyes breezed past the monkey that clung to the tail end of the parachute and distraughtly stared at the _Flying Dutchman_ that was suctioned into oblivion. Will was really gone. Her husband. Her reason for life. Not for living, but for life itself. And now, she was alone. The memory of their marriage lingered in her mind, and she dove into the captain's moist chest. Her mouth gaped as sobs erupted and she pressed gently against his chest. Everyone had vanished. Her father was drifting in heaven with her mother. James was dead because of _her_ escape. Will would live immortally because he was attempting to intervene, to once again, keep her safe. Her consequences. Her love. It was the thing that contributed to their deaths. Elizabeth knew she was not entirely at fault. Of course she knew, but here was the man, Captain Jack Sparrow, salvaging their lives, and he was the only one whom she hadn't and never wished to love as more than a friend. She squeezed him tightly and felt his eyes drift to her face and then back again, up into the green-blue material.

Jack clutched onto the cable, occasionally glancing to the hazy sky and then to the calming ocean. He gave a slight tilt of the head, contemplating the recent fate that was thrust upon them all. The pirate had wanted to reign the seas, to live aboard a mighty vessel that could never been filched beneath him. The duty that would have been endowed to him would be tiresome, but he could perform it. How long could ferrying souls take? The further he reflected on the turn of events, the more he realized how unfit he was for the profession. Will was noble and honest; _he_ was able-bodied and would remain faithful to his function. When he felt a squeeze against his back, Jack gazed at Elizabeth Swann's damp blonde hair that swayed in the breeze as the light rain pelted them both. The droplets were whipped away, leaving deep winding streaks from (not rain but) tears on her clenched cheeks. All at once, Calypso retracted the flurry of the salty rain, and the ocean swallowed the remains of the whirling maelstrom's waves. He withdrew his stare at the woman, and bending his grip on the ropes, the man directed the parachute toward the _Black Pearl_ that was genially coasting toward the Cutler Beckett's fleet. They crashed into the water, and Jack felt her hands crawl up his chest and then release him as she broke the surface alongside him. Their eyes locked for only a moment, conveying so much and so little in the glance, and then they thrashed through the water and swam toward the gangway.

Mr. Gibbs clasped her hand and yanked her aboard the dark galleon. Her eyes wavered as they followed Jack's appearance and then she cast them to the deck, yearning to collapse or leap in after her beloved. The crew gathered around Captain Jack, and although she could not hear their discourse, she immediately was aware that the captain had a scheme in mind. He shouted and commanded, and his eyes bulged with eagerness for the coming confrontation. What was coming? What more could occur? She gazed into the lolling waves and glided to the side, gripping the railing. Elizabeth had no idea what would happen to her. What actually happened to Will? The questions screamed, but her mind and heart had no answer. In the distance, the woman could hear Jack directing the crew and the anxious waiting as Lord Beckett's ship maliciously cruised toward them. And then, the gurgling of water forced her to swivel her head and glare into the Calypso's ocean. A giant algae encrusted galleon broke the surface like shattering glass, and her husband, Will Turner, was spinning around in a green bandana to grasp the helm proudly. After broadly grinning, she turned around to witness a smile upon Jack Sparrow's face. Elizabeth quickly soared from her solemn position, holding onto a rope as the two ships separated and turned toward the _Endeavor_.

The captain's lip curled as he murmured, "Fire..."

The call was repeated, and she too raised her voice in, "Fire all!"

The vessel was blown to smithereens, and Lord Beckett perished beneath the hands of pirates. The victory of thousands of men and women and lords and beggars resonated throughout the sea, but Elizabeth merely smiled and then gazed at Will, who returned her lovely gaze greedily. She watched Will and his father converse, and she stepped away from the railing and trotted down the steps once Mr. Gibbs beckoned her.

Jack leaned against the sturdy railing casually, lifting his eyes occasionally and watched her hand slide across the main mast, reminding him of the one salacious kiss they had shared. As she stared at the savior, the gaze brought back horrid recollections of a tortured man in Davy Jones' locker and the assigning of a brand to Elizabeth Swann.

Barbossa gallantly bid adieu by mentioning her formal name. "Mrs. Turner."

He watched a sly twitching of a smile diffuse across Elizabeth's countenance. So they were joined by matrimony and forever entwined. He cocked a grin. So dear William had it in him. They made their altering decision. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name uttered ever so tenderly. He tilted his head upright.

"Jack..." she said gently, the glint of her eye revealing that she would not allow a remorseful goodbye. "It never would've worked out between us."

Jack smugly smiled. Clever murderess. "Keep telling yourself that, darling."

She returned the smile, but her lips did not quite part. She couldn't leave him without touching him one last time and expressing her gratitude through an embrace, but when she stepped toward him, arms outstretched, Jack held up his palms to her.

"Once is quite enough." He wiggled his fingers as his hands once again relaxed.

All she desired was a single embrace, but silly ol' Sparrow. Of course, he assumed that there was always more than meets the eye. Her expression growing almost somber, Elizabeth eyed him tenderly and replied, "Thank you." Thank you for saving hers and Will's life repeatedly. Thank you for forgiving and forgetting the necessary action she performed. Thank you for just being Jack. She strode away and descended the gangway, grinning as she clutched onto the oars and began stroking the waves that pushed her toward her destiny and her beloved.

Jack observed the woman's smooth motions and discreetly watched Mrs. Elizabeth Turner scale the gangway and row toward William. He would meet her friendship again. He would meet her suave and cunning behavior and her clever activities. He _would_ see her again. Captain Jack Sparrow had no doubt.


End file.
